Headquarters 14^th Reg^t N.J. Vol^s

Camp Hooker, Monocacy Bridge, M^d

Sunday evening Nov 24^th 1862

 

My Dearest Mother

                        I shall make another effort tonight to write you a letter, for I commenced one last night and hadn't time to finish it, so I shall write a little faster. I expected to have finished it this morning but the first thing I knew was the order given to fall in and go to work. this is the first time we have worked of a Sabbath, since we have been out, but it was a case of necessity, as you may imagine, for our Colonel wouldn't compel us to work otherwise. we have worked all day long stockadeing our tents, but / I dont suppose you can imagine what that is, so I will explain it to you as best I can. we cut logs five feet in length, then dug a trench around our tent two feet deep, leaving three feet above ground. we then chinked up the cracks and daubed it with mud, that is as far as we could get with it. so God willing we will commence again in the morning, and take down our tent, and set it on the stockade, so you see it will give us more room. but the worst of all, we will have to tear down our chimney as it will come to far in the centre of our tent, but we can soon stick it up again, and then we can / live like folks, if Uncle Sam lets us stay here long enough to pay us for our trouble. but what do you think has just happened to me, why a man by the name of Reynols has just come in and placed a great big piece of cake in my hands. I dont know what to do with it without I eat it, so here's to one mouth full O my what good cake it reminds me of a Mother I have in N.J. ha, ha. I must tell you what a good time I had yesterday. there were about twenty box's came in yesterday for some of the boys in our Company and of course I had to pay them all a visit and a better time eating crullers doughnuts & apples I never / had, to my recollection. one of the boys in Serg^t Chadwick's tent received a barrel of apples from his folks in Middletown. I can't begin to tell you what a good time we had, and how my corporation hurt me all the evening, and how I had to turn out uncommon early this morning and go double quick to a certain place ha, ha, ha; I don't want you to send me a box yet awhile wait until the hollowday's and then you can send me a New Years dinner. I was in hopes I would have some money to send you before this time, but I dont see any signs of getting paid of. I am in hopes Uncle Sam will [drawing of fork] over pretty soon, but never mind Mother / I will have all the more when it comes, but I am afraid you will need some Mother before I get it. as for myself I dont want any, for I have almost forgotten what it is any how, and there is nothing that I need, so money isn't of any use to me. there are three of us sitting here writing on my old box; Elliot Fields Asher Pearce and myself the pens are awfully walking over the paper, I can tell you I suppose you remember Elliott dont you? he sends his love to you. Esek is sitting before the fireplace toasting his shins. he wishes to be remembered to you and John he wants to know which is the worse, to mend coats / on Sunday; or carry logs and dig trenches &c. tell John he says he would rather be home in a [?] pit than to drill; he likes soldiering well enough, all but the drilling part. My health is as good as ever I knew it to be, take away your grocery stores for me. I am a soldier, it agrees with me right smart down yer. I hope this will find you enjoying the best of health

 

the Red Bank boys are all well. I had to send one of my men to the Hospital he has got the measles his name is Cha^s Springsteel. he caught a heavy cold while on guard I should't have sent him to the Hospital, but I couldn't get him to take any medicine the boys say it was a hard / time to get him to take any medicine when he was home I heard from him today he is getting better. I have rec^d that box from Harry; he sent me that jacket he said he was going to send me. it is first rate to wear under my blouse. he didn't send me much writing paper. tell Peter L that I received his letter and will answer it as soon as I can. I have so much to do that it is as much as I can do to find time to answer your's and Libbie's letters. I hope I shall receive one from Aunt Clemmy pretty soon, but I suppose she has so much company that she cannot find time to write. I suppose you are at church tonight how I would like to hear / Dominy Middledich preach one of his good sermons, but by the grace of God, I hope to be where I can hear him in the course of a few months, that is in old Red Bank Give my love to John also to Libbie and all enquiring friends. tell grandmother that when you send the next box you I want her to send me a roll of butter, but you need not send the box until I want it. I must bring my letter to a close as it is nearly nine Oclock. I hope to have a letter from you the first of the coming week. please answer this soon and receive the love of your son in the Army. may God be with you and bless you all

                                                            Albert

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